A collective impact initiative to bridge the civilian-military divide

Over the next five years, more than one million service members will exit the military and re-enter civilian life. It is essential that Americans see this reintegration as an enormous opportunity for our country. The Got Your 6 campaign ensures that as veterans return home they are perceived as leaders and civic assets who will reinvigorate our communities. In the military, the expression “Got your six,” means I’ve got your back. It refers to the “6 o’clock position” as the rear of a military formation. It also stands for loyalty and cooperation. This sentiment should be an inspiration to all Americans. Got Your 6 is a campaign that unites the entertainment industry with top-tier nonprofit organizations that focus on veterans and military families. The goal of the campaign is to bridge the civilian-military divide. Combining the reach and resources of the top American movie studios, networks, and talent agencies with the expertise and commitment of more than 30 nonprofits, Got Your 6 speaks to all Americans and demonstrates measurable impact. Got Your 6 Six Pillars of Reintegration

Jobs

Education

Health

Housing

Family

Leadership The nonprofit partners of Got Your 6 have enumerated real and measurable goals for each of the six pillars. These activation partners develop a plan to track progress toward the goals, establish a method to engage the general public, and formulate a strategy to utilize the resources of the campaign. Got Your 6 provides distinct calls to action for the American public. Through acts of generosity and community service, these ideas allow individuals to share in the sacrifice and service of our military and show appreciation in a meaningful way to those who serve. For more information, visit www.gotyour6.org.

History of Got Your 6

In 2011, ServiceNation hosted a convening of every major studio, network, talent agency, and guild in the entertainment industry to discuss veterans’ issues. The result was a year long discussion between many partners in Hollywood, at the Clinton Global Initiative domestic convening, and with the White House and other government entities including First Lady Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces Initiative. In a little more than a year, these conversations evolved into an unprecedented awareness and activation campaign led by the entire industry and aimed at changing the conversation in our country regarding veterans and military families. Got Your 6—a campaign named for a military term meaning “I’ve got your back”—intends to take significant steps toward bridging the growing civilian-military divide in this country.

More than one million military service members will reenter civilian life over the next five years. In order to best inspire these individuals to succeed, the campaign works to ensure that they return home as civic assets and leaders who will reinvigorate our communities. Many Americans do not feel connected or comfortable with military and veteran culture, nor do they know what steps to take to show their respect and appreciation for those who serve our country in uniform. Got Your 6 focuses on the activation of the American public through six key pillars of veteran reintegration: jobs, education, health, housing, family, and leadership.

The entertainment industry is the catalyst for the campaign’s message. Utilizing a multidimensional communications strategy, the industry leverages grass roots work being done by top-tier non-profits in communities across the country. This is a true collaborative effort that will use the best-in-class entities from the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

The campaign unites top-tier nonprofit organizations with the reach and resources of the America’s entertainment industry as they work together to bridge the civilian-military divide. Got Your 6 is supported through an independent steering committee that holds one representative from every major studio, network agency and guild.

About Got Your 6 Got Your 6 is a collective impact campaign designed to help bridge the military-civilian divide. Combining the reach and resources of the entertainment industry with the expertise and commitment of more than 30 non-profit organizations, the campaign works to advance the conversation in America so veterans and military families are seen as leaders and civic assets who will invigorate our communities. In 2013, Got Your 6 distributed grants totaling nearly $3 million to a dozen veteran-focused non-profit partners. For more information, visit www.gotyour6.org. Be the Change, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is the organizing body and fiscal sponsor of Got Your 6. About Be the Change, Inc. Be the Change creates national issue-based campaigns driven by cross-sector coalitions. Founded in 2007, as part of the ServiceNation movement, Be the Change has now added Opportunity Nation and Got Your 6 to its portfolio of campaigns. Through a unique model focused on facilitating collaboration, Be the Change campaigns seek to inspire change and shift public perceptions and actions around society's most significant cultural issues.

About CGI America President Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) to address economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting in June 2011, CGI America participants have made more than 100 commitments valued at $11.8 billion. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will improve the lives of three million people, create or fill more than 150,000 jobs, and invest and loan $354 million to small and medium enterprises in the United States. The 2012 CGI America meeting will take place June 7-8 in Chicago. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

GOT YOUR 6 FACT SHEET Logline: Got Your 6 is a campaign that unites the entertainment industry with

top-tier nonprofit organizations that focus on veterans and military families. The goal of the campaign is to bridge the civilian-military divide. Combining the reach and resources of the top American movie entertainment studios, networks, and talent agencies with the expertise and commitment of more than 30 nonprofits, Got Your 6 speaks to all Americans and demonstrates measurable impact.

Mission Statement: Got Your 6 will inspire Americans to help bridge the civilian-military divide.

Got Your 6 will provide tools, platforms, and resources that Americans can use to feel more comfortable with military and veteran culture.

Got Your 6 will create opportunities for veterans and civilians to join together to reinvigorate our communities.

Got Your 6 will change the conversation in America so that our returning veterans are not seen as liabilities, but as assets.

Got Your 6 will embody—for all Americans—the values of duty, selfless service, and mutual respect upheld by those that serve in our military.

Pillars: Jobs–U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program Education–Student Veterans of America & The Pat Tillman Foundation Housing–The 100,000 Homes Campaign

Health–Give An Hour™ Family–Blue Star Families & the Military Child Education Coalition Leadership–The Mission Continues

Managing Director Chris Marvin

Launched: May 10, 2012

Web: http://www.gotyour6.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GotYourSix

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GotYourSix Instagram: http://instagram.com/gotyour6/

Press Contacts: Megan Haverland Beck Media & Marketing megan@beckmedia.com 310.300.4800

Got Your 6 Pillars and Commitments: Each Got Your 6 pillar is led by an activation partner — a nonprofit organization that is a subject matter expert in its field. Goodwill Industries is the National Activation Partner of Got Your 6. For each substantial goal, official commitments have been registered and recognized through the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative domestic convening, CGI-America and activation partners publish their quantitative goals and provide plans to track and report their progress. Pillar Commitment

Jobs Hiring Our Heroes - In coordination with the Got Your 6 campaign, the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program will engage the business community in a campaign to hire 500,000 veterans and military spouses by December 2014.

Education Transitioning through Education - In coordination with the Got Your 6 campaign,

Student Veterans of America, the Pat Tillman Foundation, and their partners will collect pledges from 500 colleges and universities to offer supportive veteran-specific resources, programs and policies by June 2014.

Health De-mystifying Mental Health - In coordination with the Got Your 6 campaign, Give an Hour and its partners will lead a program to educate 100,000 graduate students in mental health disciplines on the unique issues of veterans and military families by December 2014/

Housing Ending Veteran Homelessness - The 100,000 Homes Campaign and its partners,

including the US Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, are leading an effort to house 20,000 chronically homeless veterans by July 2014

Family Strengthening Military Families - In coordination with the Got Your 6 campaign,

Blue Star Families, the Military Child Education Coalition, and their partners will provide reintegration tools and training to 300,000 military families and 100,000 primary and secondary school educators by December 2014.

Leadership Continuing the Mission of Service - The Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, and their partners will engage veterans and military family members in 5 million hours of volunteer service in communities nationwide by December 2014.

Chris Marvin Bio Chris Marvin is the Managing Director of the Got Your 6 campaign, the non-partisan, entertainment industry-led movement devoted to changing the conversation around military veterans in America, and empowering veterans to convert their leadership and operational training into positive civilian roles in communities nationwide. Marvin previously served as the Director of Civilian-Military Partnerships for ServiceNation, heading the Mission Serve initiative—a program that strives to bring the civilian and military communities together through service and volunteerism. In this capacity, Marvin pursues strategies to bridge the civilian-military divide through unique partnerships and collaborative efforts with the entertainment industry, the corporate sector, federal and state governments, and a coalition of prominent non-profit organizations. His team hosted The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a veterans’ hiring fair and service project in Los Angeles in July 2011. Chris also orchestrated 11 high-profile service projects in 11 major American cities on 11/11/11 as a national celebration of service on Veterans Day. He sits on the Military and Veteran Advisory Committee for Habitat for Humanity. He is also a member of the 100,000 Homes Campaign Leadership Council. He has represented ServiceNation at the Clinton Global Initiative’s domestic convening, CGI America, since 2011. And he holds a seat on the Community Blueprint Network Advisory Council. Previously, Marvin served more than seven years as a US Army Officer, commissioned in 2001. He was named the Distinguished Honor Graduate of his Aviation Officer Basic Course and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawai‘i. As a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and platoon leader, Chris led his unit into combat in Afghanistan in 2004. In less than four months, Marvin flew 40 combat missions before being severely wounded in a helicopter crash near the Afghan-Pakistan border. Over the next four years, Marvin underwent 10 major surgeries and thousands of hours of physical therapy as part of his recovery. He was medically retired from the military as a Captain. His awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Medal for meritorious achievement. During his recovery, Marvin volunteered as an advocate for other wounded veterans. In 2007, he was named the first Fellow for The Mission Continues—a non-profit organization that challenges wounded and disabled veterans to volunteer in their communities. Subsequently, Marvin volunteered for The Mission Continues as the National Director of the Fellowship Program, logging more than 2,000 volunteer hours in 2008 before joining the organization as full-time staff in 2009. In 2008, Marvin was selected as one of 30 young military leaders for the ServiceNation Summit. Also in 2008, he represented Hawai‘i and the Pacific at the Army Wounded Warrior Symposium. Marvin holds a Masters in Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in marketing and management. At Wharton, he was named a Venture Fellow, as well as a Social Enterprise Fellow. As the Wharton Graduate Association Executive Director for Leadership, Marvin founded the Wharton Perspectives on Leadership student speaker series—an innovative lecture series that allows students with non-conventional backgrounds to inspire group discussions on leadership dynamics. Marvin also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame. He currently resides with his wife and daughter in Philadelphia, but considers Hawai‘i home.

Entertainment Partners

Activation Partners

About Our Activation Partners

Goodwill Industries International (National Activation Partner) Goodwill inspires hope and self-confidence, helping people from all backgrounds and walks of life to feel successful, valuable and dignified by helping them earn a living, improve their lives, and strengthen their families and their communities. Through their network of 165 independent, community-based Goodwill locations in the United States and Canada, Goodwill offers customized job training, employment placement and other services to people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges. In 2010, Goodwill helped more than 2.4 million people train for careers in industries such as banking, IT and health care, to name a few — and get the supporting services they needed to be successful, such as English language training, additional education, or access to transportation and child care. Goodwill is a long-time advocate for veterans, and in 2010, they provided job training, employment services and other supports to more than 25,766 veterans. Some Goodwill agencies have specific programs to help veterans transition to civilian life; and all Goodwill agencies stand ready to help veterans and their family members access job training and placement support, career services, and support services such as health care, substance abuse counseling, transportation assistance and more.

The Mission Continues The Mission Continues challenges veterans to serve and lead in communities across America. The organization was founded by former US Navy SEAL Eric Greitens in 2007 when he returned from his final deployment to Iraq, fueled by the deep belief that veterans are civic assets. The Mission Continues offers six-month community service fellowships to veterans, awarding more than 360 fellowships to date. The organization does not offer charity; rather, it challenges returning service members to utilize their tremendous skills and leadership to continue serving our country at home. For more information, please visit http://www.missioncontinues.org.

The Pat Tillman Foundation The mission of the Pat Tillman Foundation is to invest in military veterans and their spouses through educational scholarships; building a diverse community of leaders committed to service to others. This is accomplished with the Tillman Military Scholars program which purpose is to identify high-impact active or veteran servicemembers and their spouses and invest in their higher education, covering the needs left unpaid for by the GI Bill and other government support. The scholarship funds awarded are just a portion of the Tillman Military Scholar experience which also focuses on guiding an engaged community and providing essential resources that empower Scholars to serve and lead in their local communities and ease the transition from military to civilian life. Since its inception, 171 Tillman Military Scholars representing 32 states and attending 59 institutions nationwide have been awarded over $2.2 million.

ServiceNation ServiceNation is a campaign to increase national service opportunities and elevate service as a core ideal and problem solving strategy in America. The campaign is focused on two main initiatives: building a permanent grassroots constituency to advance service legislation and challenging the American public to view returning military veterans as civic assets and leaders who will reinvigorate our communities. ServiceNation envisions a day when a commonly asked question in this country is 'Where do you serve?' and when all Americans have the opportunity to serve in order to tackle pressing social challenges and strengthen our democracy. For more information, visit www.servicenation.org.

Student Veterans of America Student Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of student veteran organizations on more than 550 college campuses globally. Each chapter, run by and for student veterans, provides a critical peer-support network that has been linked to improved academic success. The local chapter is essential to accomplishing SVA's mission, which is to provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation.

Team Rubicon Team Rubicon (TR) unites the skills and experience of military veterans with medical professionals to rapidly deploy emergency response teams into crisis situations. TR offers veterans a chance to continue their service by helping and empowering those afflicted by disasters, and also themselves. For more about Team Rubicon, visit www.teamrubiconusa.org.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Program In March of 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched Hiring Our Heroes, a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Working with a network of 1600 state and local chambers, Hiring Our Heroes has hosted more than 150 hiring fairs in 48 states and the District of Columbia; more than 9,500 have gotten jobs. The program will significantly expand its efforts in 2012 with hiring fairs in 400 communities, the establishment of a stand-alone program for military spouses, and a sustained campaign to enlist the commitments from the small business community to hire veterans and military spouses over the next three years.

Give an Hour Give an Hour is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of military personnel, their families, and the communities affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of February 2012, Give an Hour has more than 6,100 providers across the nation—in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam—with more volunteer mental health professionals joining its network every day. In addition to counseling, providers also consult to schools, first responders, employers, and community organizations. Give an Hour has already provided over 50,000 hours of free service, valued at more than $5 million. In April 2012 Give an Hour was chosen as one of the five winners of the White House's Joining Forces Community Challenge, sponsored by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. That same month Dr. Van Dahlen was named to TIME magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. To learn more, visit www.giveanhour.org or https://www.facebook.com/GiveanHour or on twitter at @GiveAnHour.

100,000 Homes Campaign The 100,000 Homes Campaign coordinated by Community Solutions is a national movement of over 120 communities working together to find permanent homes for 100,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless individuals and families by July of 2014. Participating communities work to identify everyone on their streets by name, develop a system that can house anyone in 30 days or less, and begin housing 2.5% of their homeless population each month. The Campaign brings these communities together to identify common challenges, create new solutions, and share best practices with other communities across the country. Learn more at www.100khomes.org, www.facebook.com/100khomes or on Twitter @100khomes.

America’s Promise Alliance America’s Promise Alliance is the nation’s largest partnership dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth. We bring together more than 400 national organizations representing nonprofit groups, businesses, communities, educators and policymakers. Through our Grad Nation campaign, we mobilize Americans to end the high school dropout crisis and prepare young people for college and the 21st century workforce. Building on the legacy of our founding chairman General Colin Powell, America’s Promise believes the success of young people is grounded in the Five Promises—Caring Adults, Safe Places, A Healthy Start, Effective Education, and Opportunities to Help Others. For more information, visit www.AmericasPromise.org.

American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Blue Star Families Blue Star Families is a national, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families. In addition to morale and empowerment programs, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life and works to make military life more sustainable through programs and partnerships like Operation Honor Cards, MilKidz Club and Blue Star Museums. Membership includes military spouses, children and parents as well as service members, veterans and the civilians who strongly support them. To learn more about Blue Star Families, visit http://www.bluestarfam.org.

Bob Woodruff Foundation The Bob Woodruff Foundation is the national nonprofit that helps ensure our Nation's injured service members, veterans and their families return to a home front ready to support them. BWF provides resources and support to service members, veterans and their families to successfully reintegrate into their communities so they may thrive physically, psychologically, socially and economically. Through a public education movement called ReMIND.org, the Bob Woodruff Foundation helps educate the public about the needs of service members returning from war — especially the 1 in 5 service members who have sustained hidden injuries such as Traumatic Brain Injury and Combat Stress, including Post Traumatic Stress, Depression and Anxiety — and empowers communities nationwide to take action. Across the country, the Bob Woodruff Foundation collaborates with other organizations and experts to identify and solve issues related to the return of service members from combat to civilian life and invests in programs that connect our troops to the help they need — from individual needs like physical accommodations, job training, financial counseling, to larger social issues like homelessness and suicide. The Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested over $10.5 million, impacting more than 1,000,000 service members, support personnel, veterans and their families nationwide. For more information about the Bob Woodruff Foundation please visit www.ReMIND.org.

CGI America President Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) to address economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting in June

2011,CGI America participants have made more than 100 commitments valued at $11.8 billion. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will improve the lives of three million people, create or fill more than 150,000 jobs, and invest and loan $354 million to small and medium enterprises in the United States. The 2012 CGI America meeting will take place June 7-8 in Chicago. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org

Code of Support Foundation The Code of Support Foundation is dedicated to bridging the gap between civilian and military America. Through its programs and activities, COSF seeks to significantly increase the percentage of Americans who not only care about the troops (including their families and veterans), but understand the depth of their service and sacrifice, are committed to their support, and are actively involved in donating to or volunteering for quality non-governmental organizations that provide critically needed services and support. In addition, the COSF works to build effective communication and cooperation within the non-profit troop support community, as well as serving as an advocate on their behalf and on behalf of the troops, their families and veterans.

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Social Innovation Fund, and other programs, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. Each year, thousands of veterans are served by AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, and many more are provided the opportunity to continue their service through National Service programs. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

Habitat for Humanity International Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.

The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University Launched in 2011 by founding partners Syracuse University and JPMorgan Chase & Co., the IVMF is the first national center in higher education focused on the social, economic, education and policy issues impacting veterans and their families post-service. Through the pillars of educational programming, employment and actionable research, the institute provides in-depth analysis of the challenges facing the veteran community, captures best practices and serves as a forum to facilitate new partnerships and strong relationships between the individuals and organizations committed to making a difference for veterans and military families. "in service to those who have served" vets.syr.edu

Joining Forces First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden created Joining Forces in 2011 to recognize, honor and serve military families. Since launching Joining Forces, significant progress has been made to rally Americans around military families. Communities, businesses, schools, faith groups, non-profit organizations and individual Americans have made substantial commitments to show military families

the support that they deserve. Through collaborative efforts with Joining Forces, these groups have helped more than 60,000 veterans and military families find jobs, improved educational opportunities for military children, supported our nation’s wounded warriors and their caregivers, and honored our nation’s fallen.

Military Child Education Coalition The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) is a 501(c)(3) global, nonprofit organization focused exclusively on the well-being and needs of America's two million military-connected children, specifically in the areas of academic opportunity and excellence, school transition support, and developmental needs. Our goal is to ensure that every military-connected child grows and thrives through good and challenging times so that they are college, work place, and ultimately, life-ready.

NCIRE The Northern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE) is a scientific community of clinicians and researchers bringing the power of modern medicine to the health of our nations Veterans. Over 200 principal investigators – academically affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco and based at the San Francisco VA Medical Center – contribute individual expertise and knowledge to a thriving community of collaborative scientific discovery. As the country's largest nonprofit research enterprise dedicated exclusively to advancing the health of military service members, NCIRE is regarded as The Veterans Health Research Institute.

Operation College Promise Operation College Promise (OCP) is a national policy, research and education program based in Trenton, New Jersey, which supports the transition and postsecondary advancement of our nation’s veterans. The program’s mission is to support student veterans “To, Through and Beyond” the attainment of their higher education objectives. Founded in 2008 as a web-based resource, the project was initiated by the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) to centralize transition information for service members on a comprehensive website. Today, the program has reached more than 300 institutions in 25 states through its signature training – the Certificate for Veterans’ Service Providers (CVSP) program and is a national leader in research efforts on student veterans’ progress toward degree and employment, as well as in the development of innovative degree plans for military students. For more information, visit: www.OperationCollegePromise.com.

Operation Gratitude Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in harm's way, to their Children left behind, to Veterans and Military families facing financial hardships, to Wounded Warriors recovering in transition units and to First Responders engaged in disaster relief efforts. Our mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member's face and express to our Military the appreciation and support of the American people. Each package contains donated product valued at ~$100 and costs the organization $15 to assemble and ship. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude has shipped more than 760,000 packages to American Military and their families.

Points of Light Points of Light is the leading volunteer organization with more than 20 years of history and a bipartisan presidential legacy. Our mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world. We connect people to their power to make a meaningful difference by providing access to tools,

resources and opportunities to help volunteers use their time, talent, voice and money to meet the critical needs of our communities. We are organized into three divisions: Programs, Civic Incubator and Action Networks, which include HandsOn Network, the largest network of 250 local volunteer centers across the country and around the world; generationOn, the youth service movement that ignites the power of kids to make their mark on the world; AmeriCorps Alums, the national service alumni network that activates the next generation of service leaders; and Points of Light Corporate Institute, our enterprise that enables companies to engage their employees and customers in service. For more information, visit www.pointsoflight.org

Sierra Club Mission Outdoors Mission Outdoors is Sierra Club's initiative to provide access to outdoor experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds. Through direct programming, advocacy and education, Mission Outdoors aims to give all Americans a meaningful outdoor experience. Specifically for military families and veterans, it is our hope to give those who served an opportunity to experience the land they defended. Read more at www.sierraclub.org/missionoutdoors

TAPS The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is the national nonprofit organization providing compassionate care to anyone grieving the death of someone who died while serving in the military. TAPS provides peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, seminars and retreats for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, case work assistance, connections to community-based care and a 24/7 resource and information helpline for all who have been affected by a death in the Armed Forces. Services are provided free of charge. Founded in 1994 out of tragedy by bereaved military families, TAPS has offered support to more than 35,000 family members, caregivers and casualty assistance officers. For more information go to www.taps.org or call toll-free 800.959.TAPS.

About The 6th Branch The 6th Branch is a service-oriented organization based in Baltimore. Founded by a small group of veterans and civilian supporters, The 6th Branch is a group for anyone, civilian or veteran, who believes change can happen when one is involved in positive actions and something larger than self. For more information, visit www.the6thbranch.org. USO The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, Clear Channel, Kangaroo Express, Kroger, Lowe's, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft Corporation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org

Volunteers of America Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America's most vulnerable groups, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and health care, Volunteers of America helps almost 2.5 million people in more than 400 communities. We offer a variety of services for older Americans, in particular, that allow them to maintain their independence and quality of life – everything from an occasional helping hand to full-time care. Our work touches the mind, body, heart and ultimately the spirit of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services.

Warrior Gateway Founded in 2009, Warrior Gateway connects individuals in the military community with organizations and programs (non-profit, government, educational or employment-related) in their neighborhood that are there to support them. Warrior Gateway harnesses state-of-the art technology and community collaboration to help today's veterans make better decisions about what service providers they can go to for help, and have a public forum to share their experiences about the quality and effectiveness of those services. This innovation was recognized with a Federal Computer Week Fed-100 award for significant contributions to the Federal IT community in 2011 and a 2012 ComputerWorld Honors Laureate Award. For more information, please visit: www.warriorgateway.org.

Updated information about the full universe of Got Your 6 activation partners is available online at www.gotyour6.org.

Got Your 6 Photos For additional images, video and other assets www.beckmedia.net/mnr/gotyour6

Brooklyn Decker and Chris Marvin Minka Kelly and Chris Marvin Got Your 6 Press Conference in Got Your 6 Press Conference in Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2012 Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2012

JR Martinez and Armed Forces Got Your 6 Press Conference in Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2012

Sara Evans Spencer Kympton, Eva Longoria and Chris Marvin Got Your 6 and Lifetime Event Got Your 6 and Lifetime Event RNC in Tampa, FL, Aug. 29, 2012 DNC, in Charlotte, NC, Sept. 5, 2012

Spencer Kympton, Meghan McCain and Ken Harbaugh Flo Rida Got Your 6 and Lifetime Event Got Your 6 and Lifetime Event RNC in Tampa, FL, Aug. 29, 2012 DNC, in Charlotte, NC, Sept. 5, 2012

A panel disucssion at the “Got Your 6 Storytellers” event at Google in NYC, November 8th, 2013

Chris Marvin speaking at the “Got Your 6 Storytellers” event at Google in NYC, November 8th, 2013

Taylor Swift filming the a special message and behind the scenes look at The CMA Awards for Got Your 6 on November 5th, 2013

Selected Coverage of Got Your 6

The New York Times

May 10, 2012

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/hollywood-to-back-effort-to-aid-veterans-return-to-civilian-life/

Hollywood to Back Effort to Aid Veterans’ Return to Civilian Life

By Brooks Barnes

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood is putting its megaphone behind efforts to assist returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the transition to civilian life.

The education, employment and general well-being of returning service members has become a prominent cause over the last year, largely because of Michelle Obama. The first lady has aggressively promoted Joining Forces, a White House initiative focused on veteran reintegration, everywhere from “The Colbert Report” to “Sesame Street.”

But publicity around the issue is about to become supercharged. All six major movie studios, the four big broadcast networks, Hollywood’s largest talent agencies and a slew of cable channels — among other entertainment industry participants — have joined in a veterans program called Got Your 6. The name is military slang for “I’ve got your back.”

The program has committed (without being terribly specific) to publicize veteran-related issues by producing original digital content, integrating Got Your 6 into TV and film projects and televising public service commercials featuring the likes of Michael Douglas and Tom Hanks. The promotional campaign will also include print, radio, billboard and social-media elements.

Stars will be asked to wear Got Your 6 pins when they appear on talk shows and red carpets. (Look for one on Ryan Seacrest when he appears Thursday on “American Idol.”)

A spokesman for Got Your 6, which will be introduced in Los Angeles on Thursday, said the size of the financial commitment was still being worked out, and would difficult to determine, partly because it was difficult to put a price on celebrity endorsements. ServiceNation, a nonprofit organization, will serve as the fiduciary agent for Got Your 6. Chris Marvin, a former Blackhawk helicopter pilot and ServiceNation official, has been named managing director of the new group.

Some entertainment companies, notably Comcast and Disney, have already announced separate hiring programs for veterans. Got Your 6 will take it a step further by pledging to work with charities like Blue Star Families and the Military Child Education Coalition on six “pillars” of reintegration: jobs, education, health, housing, family and leadership.

“Over the next five years, more than one million service members will return to civilian life,” Mr. Marvin said. “It is imperative that Americans see this as an opportunity.”

Wall Street Journal

May 20, 2012 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304371504577403862643373548.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

From Forward Operating Base to Boardroom

Over the next five years, more than one million military service members will return from active duty.

By STAN MCCHRYSTAL

'Wanted for hire: Enterprising, reliable self-starter. Must work well in teams. Technological literacy and leadership experience a plus."

This notice could be posted by many businesses today as they look for employees to help them survive, and thrive, in difficult economic times.

Such employees abound in small forward operating bases in the crags of Konar, and before that in parched Anbar; on anti-piracy missions off the coast of Somalia; and in Africa, South America and Asia, where in dangerous conditions they dispense humanitarian aid, medicine and training in our name, under our flag.

Luckily for American industry, it will soon have access to this talent pool: Over the next five years, more than one million military service members will leave active duty and return to their communities. Their return presents America not just with an important test of our values, but with an extraordinary opportunity—both to ensure our future and revitalize our economy.

In May 2009, just before deploying to Afghanistan, I read a dispatch that affirmed my faith in the strength and initiative of the young men and women I was soon to lead. It described a young lance corporal, Rolando Cabezas, who was the fire team leader in his Marine infantry unit.

One morning, shortly after Lance Cpl. Cabezas and his team moved into Farah, in southwestern Afghanistan, a farmer approached the Marines. The farmer wanted to dig an irrigation ditch underneath a main road, to connect his fields to water on the other side. But he feared that the Marines, seeing him dig beneath the road, would think he was implanting an improvised explosive device, or IED—the hidden bombs that have been so deadly to our forces.

The Marines sent out a patrol to stand watch and guard the farmer as he dug. Once there, Lance Cpl. Cabezas greeted the farmer with a few Pashto phrases he had taught himself in his spare time. As fire team leader, he was responsible for the Marines he led and for thousands of dollars of sensitive equipment, and he was trained to run autonomous operations. But he instinctively recognized that the wider mission, beyond the team he was responsible for, required earning the trust and respect of the Afghan people. No task was beneath him if it meant advancing the mission.

So, to the amazement of the Afghan farmer already wowed by the American's Pashto, Lance Cpl. Cabezas removed his helmet, grabbed a shovel and began to help dig.

Soon the other Marines joined. They helped make the construction strong enough to support traffic, using their large, multi-ton mine-resistant vehicle to smooth over the road and pack it down so that the farmer's ditch would not cave in under passing trucks. At a local gathering soon thereafter, the farmer extolled the Marines and his "son"—Lance Cpl. Cabezas, who did more to win the crucial support of the population than did millions of dollars that were poured into road projects in that area.

Rolando is representative of the millions of young men and women who have served in our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He exemplifies the courage and clear-eyed common sense that has been required of our soldiers during the past decade of war. Those traits, and the training that cultivated them, make these veterans huge assets in a business environment: They are adaptable and reliable, and they work with a sense of mission.

For current missions and future threats, we need the military to continue to attract the best the country has to offer. And when their service in uniform is done, we need to ensure veterans are recognized as assets to our communities, companies, schools and government. Most importantly, we need to have their backs. And the best way to show appreciation to our service members is to hire them.

That's why, as an adviser to Joining Forces, the White House's initiative to promote awareness of issues military families face, I am proud to support the "Got Your 6" campaign. Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's call to action and named for the military parlance meaning "I've got your back," this campaign is a collaborative effort that involves every major movie studio, television network, talent agency and union, plus more than two dozen nonprofit partners.

More and more companies are benefiting from veterans' extraordinary reservoir of skill, leadership, work ethic and maturity. Veterans are problem-solvers trained to take whatever task is given to them, then plan and execute it to the highest standards possible. They do so through teamwork, loyalty and selfless focus on completing the mission. Most military members are given a high level of responsibility and leadership training at a relatively young age. After working with Americans of all stripes, and living in and working with different cultures, they are uniquely prepared to be part of a globalized workforce.

In the year since Joining Forces was launched, more than 1,600 companies have hired over 70,000 veterans and military spouses. Companies have pledged to hire an additional 170,000 in the coming years.

Even so, roughly 195,000 post-9/11 veterans remain unemployed. Veterans need the support of American businesses. And businesses need the experience, skills and mindset that veterans have to offer.

Gen. McChrystal, a former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and of the Joint Special Operations Command, is a senior fellow at Yale's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and co-founder of the McChrystal Group.

A version of this article appeared May 21, 2012, on page A15 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: From Forward Operating Base to Boardroom.

The Hollywood Reporter

Philanthropy Issue July 23, 2012

The Hollywood Reporter September 4, 2012 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/flo-rida-eva-longoria-dnc-got-your-6-367846 Flo Rida on the DNC, Influencing Youth and Supporting Vets

by Sophie A. Schillaci The hip-hop superstar will perform at a Got Your 6 event, hosted by Eva Longoria, during the Charlotte convention. CHARLOTTE- Among a slew of buzzworthy celebrity-driven events at the Democratic National Convention, one of the most noteworthy features Eva Longoria and “Whistle” singer Flo Rida, who will take the stage at Amos’ Southend on Wednesday

night for a performance benefitting Got Your 6. The Got Your 6 initiative, announced by first lady Michelle Obama earlier this year and led by the entertainment industry, serves to help U.S. veterans with their reintegration into civilian life after returning home from combat. “First and foremost, just growing up in my neighborhood, a couple of guys I grew up with were veterans, so it’s just a natural thing for me to want to support,” Flo Rida tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I also have family members that were in the military.” But the hip-hop superstar is hoping to catch a glimpse of president Barack Obama while he’s in town, as well. “I’ve got my camera crew ready and everything,” he says. And while the event isn’t explicitly tied to voting, Flo Rida hopes his influence will help America’s youth turn out to the voting booths. “I definitely want the kids to realize how important voting is and I realize that I have a great influence on a lot of our youth, so I’ll definitely take the responsibility in promoting voting,” he says. It’s worth noting that while heavily backed by the first lady, Got Your 6 is hosting nonpartisan events at both conventions – with Sara Evans having performed in Tampa, Fla. During the Republican National Convention. By doing so, Chris Marvin, managing director of Got Your 6, says that the organization has been able to “spread our campaign and advance the work of our many partners during this election cycle.”

“As military veterans return home, Got Your 6 will ensure that they are viewed as leaders who can reinvigorate their communities,” Marvin tells THR. “Got Your 6 and our partners are thrilled to have such talented musical guests and hosts to help support the movement.”

The event is slated for Wednesday at 11:30 p.m.

People Magazine September 7, 2012

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20627679,00.html

Eva Longoria & Flo Rida's Democratic Night Together in Charlotte

Talk about a political party! Eva Longoria mixed and mingled with Democratic National Convention attendees at a Got Your 6 event in Charlotte, N.C., on Wednesday night. The Desperate Housewives star posed for photos on the red carpet, sharing her political views with the press. She also spoke about the importance of supporting Got Your 6, which aims to bridge the gap between military personnel and citizens by aiding in the reintegration of returning veterans into society. During the event, Flo Rida performed all of his hits, including "Whistle", for the crowd of celebrities, delegates and democratic supporters. Longoria teased the rapper-singer about his patriotic attire and joked about borrowing his American flag scarf for her speech on Thursday. – Melody Chiu

Variety

September 10-16, 2012

The Hollywood Reporter November 10, 2012 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jj-abrams-got-your-6-388406

J.J. Abrams, 'Got Your 6' Team for Veterans' Day Charity Work

by Arlene Washington

Photo courtesy of Got Your 6 Ron Meyer and J.J. Abrams

The filmmaker and his Bad Robot Productions invited Hollywood friends to help stuff backpacks with food for local kids.

Entertainment executives, Hollywood stars and veterans kicked off Veterans’ Day weekend by teaming together for a day of service with the Got Your 6 campaign and the national veterans non-profit The Mission Continues for a day of charity.

The service project was hosted by Bad Robot Productions, NBC Universal and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) at the Globe Theater at Universal Studios Hollywood. Producer J.J. Abrams, Universal president and COO (and former marine) Ron Meyer, Brandon Routh and Gabrielle Carteris were among Hollywood names who spent Friday morning volunteering with vets to fill more than 5,000 backpacks with food for local kids. They proceeded to distribute the packs to food-insecure children at Title 1 schools of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“I’ve always been a supporter of veterans,” said actor Routh. “My father was in Vietnam and my grandfather served in World War II. I understand the need to be supportive especially of the trauma they can have, and we can only imagine what that’s like being in that scenario.”

Got Your 6, a military phrase for “I’ve got your back and you’ve got mine,” is a Hollywood-backed campaign that aims to help veterans and military families secure jobs and become leaders in their communities. The campaign works with 32 non-profits and top entertainment studios, networks, guilds and agencies in the industry to provide working opportunities and bridge the gap between veterans and civilians.

"Military veterans have been trained by the federal government to be leaders, team builders, and problem solvers. Got Your 6 is working to change the conversation in the country to ensure that we all perceive veterans as leaders and civic assets. Specifically in the workplace, veterans are poised to take on leadership roles and to make the work community a stronger place," said Chris Marvin, managing director of Got Your 6.

Added actor Austin Stowell: “I don’t think that there’s enough attention that gets back to our service men and women, so anything to raise awareness for the wonderful sacrifice that they make for us to lead the lives that we live here is my pleasure."

Got Your 6 aims to work with entertainment studios and agents to bring attention to the situations faced by veterans through television integration and film projects. The voice of the entertainment industry in this national publicity effort can help provide the opportunity to create a place for charities in the business of Hollywood.

“I think people genuinely want to do this, so there is always room for this in Hollywood,” said actor Lamorne Lewis. “If there isn’t, we’ll make room.”

Added Abrams: “The good and bad of Hollywood is that anyone can make it. There’s no one way to do so. Tomorrow can be the day it happens. Whether you want to be an actor, cinematographer, writer or composer, it comes down to what is your passion and what are you able to do. What is Hollywood but a place where stories are told and grab you by the heart? These are people who have been through true life and death experiences. Whether they want to tell a story or have specific craft in filmmaking, it is as tough or easy as for anyone.”

Additional reporting by Sophie A. Schillaci.

Fox News

December 17, 2012 http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/12/17/owen-wilson-surprises-us-troops-with-flag-football-game/ Owen Wilson surprises U.S. troops with flag football game By Hollie McKay

Jordan Strauss, AP/Invision Agency for Tostitos LOS ANGELES – "Wedding Crashers" star Owen Wilson joined forces with “Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet, the band “Gym Class Heroes,” and several NFL players and coaches for a surprise flag football game and party with members of the U.S. military in Los Angeles last Thursday. “As an American, I have gratitude and extreme thanks for everything they (the military) do on our behalf,” Wilson told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column before taking the field. And while Wilson is now one of Hollywood's highest paid comedic actors, a career in the Armed Services was, at one point, not out of the question. “I did consider another career path,” he explained. “One of the movies I first worked on tested so badly I was thinking, geez, I may have to think about going into something else, but then everything worked out.”

Wilson and his partner in comedy Vince Vaughn recently reunited for the upcoming movie “The Internship,” and used "research" as an excuse to mix business with, what else, some more football! “One of the most fun things was when it was set up for us to go to a Notre Dame game where we got to be on the sidelines," he said. "Then we went to a 49ers game when we were filming ... so we got to do a lot of football stuff." And despite his career success, Wilson says he still feels often like a Hollywood “intern” himself. “Just today I was on the beach and they were filming a commercial and I was like, ‘Hey what are you guys filming?’ There is something kind of exciting about Hollywood,” Wilson added. “So it’s a nice thing to be part of.” Made possible through a partnership with Got Your 6 and the Pat Tillman Foundation charities, the Tostitos Homecoming Party Bowl will be featured during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl telecast on ESPN and across social media on January 3. Danielle Jones-Wesley contributed to this report.

Wall Street Journal March 23, 2013

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/03/23/peter-berg-cant-stay-away-from-the-military/

Will ‘Lone Survivor’ Be the Next ‘Zero Dark Thirty’?

By Alexandra Cheney

Director Peter Berg on the set of “Lone Survivor”

Peter Berg’s filmmaking is dominated by two central themes: sports and the military.

As the son of a Marine, the television and film writer, producer and director found himself intrigued by courage and violence at an early age. “I’ve always been attracted to the psychology of people willing to put themselves in harm’s way,” said Berg.

Although he’s never served in the armed forces, Berg embedded with a NAVY SEAL team in Iraq while researching his coming film, “Lone Survivor,” based on a book of the same name. He lived with 15 SEALs in a small base in the desert for a month. On his sets, Berg makes a conscious effort to employ veterans and has teamed up with Got Your 6, a veteran charity that’s preparing for a week-long job fair specifically for vets looking for work in the entertainment industry.

Speakeasy caught up with Berg to talk about his military access, the importance of employing war vets and his love for the armed forces.

The Wall Street Journal: What is it about the military that intrigues you?

Peter Berg: If you look at most of my film and the kingdom that is “Friday Night Lights,” I’ve always been attracted to the psychology of people willing to put themselves in harms way. The psychology of courage and violence that’s found in both sports and in the military.

You’ve been hiring war veterans on your film and television sets long before your partnership with Got Your 6.

I was always raised to have tremendous respect for the military. I did not serve in the military but it is my responsibility is to show our appreciation however and whenever we can. It speaks to culture I was brought up with. On “Lone Survivor” at any given point there were 10 vets on set. On “Bloodline” [an NBC pilot Berg is currently producing] we had two vets in the camera department. I hope we can get more.

Why?

I always looked to hire vets. And not just because I’m a generous person. But selfishly, vets have turned out to be some of the hardest working people. It’s self-serving. When I was invited by Got Your 6 I had already worked with Wounded Warriors, it just seemed to make sense.

How were you able to embed with the military in Iraq for your film based on the book, “Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team” by Marcus Luttrell?

This was before “Zero Dark Thirty” and “American Sniper.” I was afforded opportunities then that I wouldn’t get now. I don’t know if a seal platoon embed would be possible today. This was two years ago and everyone was very accommodating. This was a story the military wants told and supports.

Was there any information you were denied?

There was tremendous cooperation. They asked me to not reveal certain tactics, to respect the reasons why classified information was classified and we did do that in the film.

What did you do during the course of your embed?

I’d go out every night and watch them operate and see how they do what they do.

Considering the reception of “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Argo” and even “Lincoln” how true to fact is “Lone Survivor”?

I spent quite a bit of time not just with Marcus [Luttrell, the author of the book], but I interviewed so many different men and women, from guys in the group trying to find Marcus, to guys in the air. I read post after action reports. I feel like I’ve done my due diligence. The film is reasonably accurate to the point I’m comfortable. People have issues, but that’s just people.

There’s already an open letter on the Web asking you to not make this film [The letter says the book on which the movie draws from is too political, among other things]. Are you concerned about its reception?

It’s too late for me to not make the film. I’ve certainly gotten enough letters to get it right. Particularly from the families.

Variety March 26, 2013

http://variety.com/2013/scene/vpage/vets-meet-with-hollywood-execs-for-hiring-confab-1200328636/

Vets Meet with Hollywood Execs for Hiring Confab

Sean Fitz-Gerald

Entertainment honchos were seeing stars — and stripes — at Ray’s on March 25, as industryites and Armed Forces vets gathered for Got Your 6’s networking lunch.

Execs from ABC, CAA, HBO, DreamWorks Animation, Variety and other companies dined on hamachi sashimi and hangar steak at the LACMA eatery while listening to reps from the nonprofit campaign that helps military gets get back to work.

Event kicked off with an intro from Got Your 6’s Chris Marvin, an Army vet of seven years who served as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot.

“Hiring veterans is not just a good idea, but it’s also really great for your business,” said Marvin, who led a panel including HBO’s Amy Gravitt, DreamWorks Animation’s Tim Norman and Veterans in Film and Television’s Kyle Hausmann-Stokes.

Gravitt, who served three years in a non-combat role aboard the U.S.S. Constellation, quipped that her transition from dispersing on a ship to being a comedy development exec “has been an oddly smooth transition — even though it doesn’t really logically make sense.”

Marine vet and “World’s Worst Tenants” star Todd Howard was also on hand. “You wouldn’t expect this conversation to occur in the entertainment industry,” he said.

The Hollywood Reporter May 10, 2013 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gavin-degraw-supports-vets-new-520282

Gavin DeGraw Supports the Vets in New 'Got Your 6' PSA (Exclusive Video) by Sophie Schillaci The organization, dedicated to helping veterans find work after completing their service, celebrates its one-year anniversary this month.

To mark its one-year anniversary, Got Your 6 has enlisted Gavin DeGraw for its latest PSA in support of U.S. military veterans.

"I'm a big advocate of supporting the troops, regardless of people's positions on wars," DeGraw tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I still support the troops, and I think a lot of people in Hollywood are like-minded in that capacity."

DeGraw was selected for the latest promo (past supporters have included Michelle Obama, Michael Douglas, Tom Hanks, Bradley Cooper and Sarah Jessica Parker) after the video for his song "Soldier" was dedicated to the Wounded Warrior Project. The song is also featured in the Got Your 6 spot, executive produced by Brent Roske, which THR hosts exclusively in the player above.

While "Soldier" is a love song, DeGraw says that the title and chorus signal heroic imagery that fits perfectly with any military campaign.

"When people think about selflessness, dedication, devotion and sacrifice, they think about the most obvious example: They think of a soldier," he says. "Someone who puts themselves in harm's way for what they believe is the benefit of the greater good."

Got Your 6 is a Hollywood-backed movement that aims to give military veterans a foot in the door at businesses across the nation and in the entertainment industry, including studios, networks, guilds and agencies.

To commemorate its first birthday, Got Your 6 has partnered with Macy's for a new "American Icons" campaign -- kicking off May 12 -- with the retailer offering the "Got Your 6" logo pin and a special savings pass for $6 at their stores nationwide.

“I am humbled not only by the engagement, but by the excitement of the entertainment industry as they have embraced Got Your 6 and our nonprofit partners, helping to make our first year incredibly impactful,” says Chris Marvin, managing director of Got Your 6. “With more than one million service members returning to civilian life over the next three to five years, our journey is not over, but I am confident that, as Got Your 6 continues to work with Hollywood, we can engage the American public to view our returning veterans and their families as leaders and civic assets.”

For more on Got Your 6 and its Hollywood-related programming, click here.

Email: Sophie.Schillaci@THR.com; Twitter: @SophieSchillaci

Mashable

http://mashable.com/2013/10/31/got-your-6-video/ October 31, 2013 Over 55 million monthly page views

Military recruits quickly learn the phrase, "Got your six," which means, "I got your back." On the battlefield, it's essential to protect your fellow comrades and know that they're looking out for you, too. And yet, when these veterans finish a tour of duty and return home, it sometimes seems as if no one has their back. America's veterans are an untapped resource of leadership and skill, but they also need a lot of support to get back in the swing of things. Many veterans struggle to find a job and a home, and reintegrating into society can be a challenge.

That's where Got Your 6 comes in. The 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization's six pillars — jobs, health, education, housing, family and leadership — form a multi-prong approach to ensure that veterans are successfully integrated into civilian life and seen as civic assets. They provide assistance and guidance for every aspect of a veteran's life, to facilitate a seamless return home.

Got Your 6 partners with 20+ non-profits across the six pillars, and it amplifies its message through strategic partnerships with entertainment studios, media networks and agencies. Got Your 6 has partnered with "Hiring our Heroes" to engage businesses to hire 500,000 veterans and military spouses by December 2014. In education, Got Your 6 is working with The Pat Tillman Foundation and the Student Veterans of America to collect pledges from 500 colleges and universities to enhance resources and support for student veterans. As a counseling resource, Got Your 6 has partnered with Give an Hour to educate 100,000 students in the mental health field by June 2014. The non-profit also works with Mission Continues to engage veterans in 1.5 million hours of volunteer service across America. And Blue Star Families and the Military Child Education Coalition help to provide resources and toolkits for military families.

Lastly, Got Your 6 partnered with 100,000 Homes to house 20,000 chronically homeless veterans by July 2014 — and they're already at 19,912, thanks to a handy app that ensures that no vet is left behind. Watch the video above to learn more about Got Your 6, its use of technology and its commitment to America's veterans.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Image: Flickr/soldiersmediacenter

The Washington Times

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/between-errands-april-thompson/2013/nov/7/got-your-6-explores-ways-bridge-civilian-military-/ November 7, 2013 Got Your 6 explores ways to bridge civilian-military divide

Thursday, November 7, 2013 - Between Errands by April Thompson by April Thompson

DALLAS, November 7, 2013 ― With one million service members leaving the military over the next five years, the discussions about veteran and military issues often focus on the challenges and potential problems veterans may have re-integrating into civilian life. Got Your 6 is an organization that wants to redirect the conversation on veterans to emphasize the special skills, talents and benefits veterans are bringing back to our communities. Their goal is to bridge the gap that has emerged between the military community, including service members, military families and veterans, and the civilian population.

Friday, nine veterans will tell the stories of their ideas and innovations at Got Your 6 Storytellers, an event hosted by Google and broadcast live online. These former service members are working in diverse areas such as disaster relief, technology, education, and public policy. They will talk about how they’ve

applied the skills they’ve learned in the military to meet the challenges and solve problems in their communities.

Chris Marvin, managing director of Got Your 6, says the civilian-military divide is manifested by misperceptions and misunderstandings that civilians have about the military and veterans. “Many times the idea of a veteran in a civilian’s mind is an extreme idea, this portrayal that all veterans have post-traumatic stress disorder, or there’s lots of amputees, or lots of issues with unemployment.” Marvin said. “These things happen, but they’re more rare than most people think they are.”

Many of these misperceptions can be corrected by facts—for example, the unemployment rate is lower for veterans than for the general population. But primarily Got Your 6 hopes to use conversations and storytelling to correct these long-held misperceptions.

Marvin notes that focusing on the negative or the extreme is not uncommon in both news and entertainment. However, this focus is causing the nation to miss out on the resources veterans offer by having low expectations for them. As long as these misperceptions hold, “We’ll continue to see them as some sort of problem that needs to be solved, and not see them as an opportunity for our communities.”

While Marvin agrees veterans face challenges, for veterans, “Challenge is a good thing. Challenge is where you adapt and you overcome and you ultimately have your greatest success.” He believes communities should harness the potential of veterans by challenging them to step into leadership roles. “Veterans are trained to be leaders and they have the potential to become civic assets. Only if we empower them to take on that role will they actually do so.”

However, there is a cultural reluctance to make that challenge, particularly when it comes to talking to veterans from the recent conflicts. Marvin says while civilians are quick to thank military members and veterans for their service, most people hesitate to have more meaningful engagements. Most civilians are afraid to ask military members and veterans about their experiences, and misperceptions and cultural attitudes keep them from expecting and encouraging veterans to take leading roles in their communities.

To ameliorate this, Got Your 6’s primary call to action this Veteran’s Day is to ask of civilians is to have a conversation with a veteran. “It’s fantastic to tell someone ‘Thanks for your service,’” Marvin said. “But don’t ever do it without also saying, ‘What’s your name, where are you from, what did you do in the military,’ and most importantly. ‘What’s next.’” Conversations and sharing stories will do a great deal to bridge the civilian-military divide, says Marvin.

To facilitate this call to action and encourage engagement between civilians and military, Got Your 6 is focusing not only on the Storytellers event, but is also working with Storycorps’ Military Voices Initiative. Storycorps is a well-known non-profit organization that collects stories from people across the country. The collaboration with Hollywood is also geared to change perception and share the stories of veterans, as is their work with the History Channel’s “Take a Veteran to School Day.” All of these efforts are geared toward facilitating conversations, encouraging veterans to rise to the challenges in their communities, and bridging that gap between civilian and service member.

Business Insider

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-got-your-six-tech-2013-11 November 10, 2013 Military & Defense More: Military Defense Google Tech Google Event Shows How Valuable Veterans Can Be To The Tech World Paul Szoldra

For the hundreds of thousands

of veterans soon to be hitting

the civilian workforce in the

coming years, the tech industry

may be the place to shine.

In a presentation put on by non-profit "Got Your Six" at Google's New York headquarters Friday, some of the top minds in tech, non-profits, and politics made the case that hiring veterans — especially in the tech sector — is a huge win for businesses.

"130,000 soldiers will leave the army every year," said Brig. Gen. David MacEwen, the Army's chief administrative officer. "They deserve to be brought back into society."

Google has been leading the way with the creation of VetNet and by bringing on veterans in many aspects of their business. The company's head of user operations is a former F-14 pilot, a Navy veteran takes care of green energy operations, and it's a Marine who oversees the release and recovery of the balloons designed to provide Internet worldwide with "Project Loon."

"At Google, we hire veterans because of the values that they hold," said Carrie Laureno, an audience evangelist at Google, and founder of the Google Veterans Network.

The opportunities extend far beyond Google, according to Rob Gordon, a 26-year veteran and chief strategy officer at APX Labs. “Our veterans are contributing in so many ways and thinking about so many innovations," he said.

Some of those innovations include RideScout, a smartphone app that aggregates different commuting options like buses, trains, and cars all in one place. Another, he says, is lettrs, an app that allows users to

write letters without going to the post office.

“They are an important part of our human capital in this country," Gordon said. "If only we provide our veterans with further opportunities to innovate, create, and ideate in the field of technology — America will be a better

place."

While the technology sector offers many opportunities, some have gone the non-profit route and produced incredible results.

Jake Wood, a former Marine Corps sniper, is co-founder and CEO of Team Rubicon, a non-profit providing relief to victims of natural disasters — most recently helping in the Colorado floods, as well as repairing areas of New York devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

"If we can provide the leadership that these military veterans are willing to provide, we can get America back to its roots," said Wood, who says Rubicon strives to return to an age when "neighbors help neighbors."

Throughout the talks, speakers emphasized the value of veterans, often entrusted with huge responsibility and instilled with leadership experience.

"When I look at a soldier, I don’t have to get their resume," said MacEwen. "I know they are the type of person I want to hire."

Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/chris-marvin-for-todays-veterans-service-isnt-over-

when-the-uniform-is-put-away/2013/11/10/98ad9ab0-48b9-11e3-a196-

3544a03c2351_story.html

November 10, 2013 Picked up by Newsday, The News Tribune. Appeared in print, November 11, 2013

Chris Marvin: For today’s veterans, service isn’t over when the uniform is put away

(Bart Sadowski/iStockPhoto/ISTOCKPHOTO) - Two camouflaged soldiers. armed forces; army; army

soldier; two people; team; uniform; camouflage; war; body armor; machine gun; rifle; combat; military;

painted; shadow; equipment; helmet; gun; warrir; dirty; service; honor; veteran's day iStockPhoto

By Chris Marvin,

Chris Marvin, an Army veteran, founded Got Your 6, a campaign to bridge the civilian-military divide.

I fought in Afghanistan. When people learn of my military service, I get a variety of comments — none

more common than “Thank you for your service.” My response sometimes surprises people. I look them

in the eye and say, “You’re welcome.”

For years, I struggled to find the appropriate response. I felt uncomfortable when thanked because I

didn’t know what to say. My friend and mentor Eric Greitens , who founded the Mission Continues,

experienced similar feelings. He suggested that I simply reply the way my mother taught me.

When I began to respond with “You’re welcome,” I was concerned that it shocked people. I wondered if

I was being too flippant or prideful. Then I realized that their reaction said something about what “Thank

you for your service” now means in American culture. The phrase has become a reflex for civilians who

don’t know what else to say. Most people today play a minimal role in national defense beyond

expressing gratitude to those who have served on their behalf.

Many civilians may genuinely wish to have played a larger role in America’s recent conflicts — if only

from the home front. In lieu of participation, they offer thanks. Society has normalized this practice,

with the result that some Americans consider uttering thanks to be a fulfillment of their patriotic duties.

This helps explain the surprise many people show when I say “You’re welcome.” All I mean is that I am

proud to have fought for my country. But often the thank you means more to the person offering it than

to the person being thanked.

When I sat on a panel in front of 75 Tillman Military Scholars — some of our best and brightest post-

9/11 veterans — in July, I asked the audience who felt uncomfortable when thanked for their service.

Almost every hand went up.

This may not be true for all veterans, but post-9/11 veterans are different. My own family’s history

provides an example of why.

My great-grandfather served in World War I. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. My father

served in Vietnam. Like me, they served in the Army. But, unlike me, they were drafted. I am the first in

my family to have volunteered for the military.

Afghanistan is now our nation’s longest war. Everyone who served in any branch of the military since the

Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks volunteered to do so. Five million Americans knowingly and willfully

joined and reenlisted in wartime.

Sustained combat operations with an all-volunteer force have yielded a cohort of veterans different

from generations that endured conscription. For better or for worse, veterans from my generation don’t

gather at VFW halls for beers and war stories. Instead, we congregate with Team Rubicon for disaster

relief, with Team Red White and Blue for physical training and with the Mission Continues for

community service.

Post-9/11 veterans are asking to be engaged, empowered and held to high expectations. We yearn to be

told by a grateful public that our talents are still needed here at home.

This Veterans Day, on behalf of my fellow Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, I say to the country: There’s no

need to thank us. You’re welcome for our service. But take a minute to talk with us. Ask us where we

served, learn about what we did in the military and find out what’s next in our lives.

Entertainment Tonight http://www.etonline.com/news/140610_Country_Stars_Honor_Next_Generation_of_Veterans/index.html November 11, 2013

Country Stars Honor Next Generation of Veterans By ETONLINE STAFF In the military, "got your 6" means "I've got your back," and that's the message that country musicstars like Taylor Swift want to get across to those that have served this country. In a PSA filmed from backstage at the CMA Awards, Swift, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny Rogers and Kimberly Williams-Paisley urge citizens to "support [veterans] as they continue their service at home." To learn more about the campaign, visit Gotyour6.org.

Entertainment Weekly

http://popwatch.ew.com/2013/11/11/taylor-swift-more-country-stars-support-got-your-6-on-veterans-day-video/ November 11, 2013

Taylor Swift, more country stars support Got Your 6 on Veterans Day -- VIDEO

Stars at last week’s CMA Awards came together to record a short PSA encouraging viewers to support veteran service organization Got Your 6.

The short video, released on Veterans Day, features Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny

Rogers, Voice alum Cassadee Pope, and Kimberly Williams Paisley, Nashville actress and wife of country singer Brad Paisley.

The campaign, which targets recently discharged military veterans, aims to bridge the civilian-military divide by creating a new conversation in America so veterans and military families are perceived as leaders and civic assets.

Watch the video below: